Obama came into office promising that his administration would hew to higher standards than his predecessors did. He implemented rules barring former aides from directly lobbying the government for two years and frequently decries the influence of “special interests” in Washington.

But the efforts have done little to slow a tide of groups hiring former top aides as highly paid consultants, speakers and media advisers in an effort to influence the administration — part of a longtime Washington practice in which interest groups seek access to the White House by hiring people who used to work there.

So the same old Washington song – curse the system then cash in. But what about practical policy influence? Remember that killer pipeline?

The decision on whether to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline is a political headache for President Obama. But to five of his former aides, it represents a business opportunity.

Four of them — Bill Burton, Stephanie Cutter, Jim Papa and Paul Tewes — work as consultants for opponents of the project, which would carry heavy crude oil from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries. Another, former White House communications director Anita Dunn, counts the project’s sponsor, TransCanada, among the clients of her communications firm.

Stephanie Cutter is also making money working for Bank of America. Getting tough on Wall Street right? Of course other faces of Team Obama are wetting their beaks with questionable business.

Obama’s top former political advisers — Robert Gibbs, Jim Messina and David Plouffe — were given five-figure checks to deliver remarks at a forum in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, which is in the midst of a campaign to burnish its image in Washington.

While it is not surprising that former presidential aides are trying to get rich, it is somewhat obnoxious to have such rank hypocrisy on issues like Climate Change, human rights, and influence peddling. It is hard to say which is worse – the behavior or the hypocrisy of the behavior.

Ah! nothing like American Political corruption,a former Prez goes from being unable to come up with the down payment for a modest Westchester county Home in 2000. And before 5 yrs of being out of office this former POTUS boasts of assets of 75 million.And at this point almost 13 yrs out of office he boasts of Assets worth 250 million.

He didn’t cure cancer nor produce a cure to enhance longevity,what he did was cashed in on all the legislation he championed that screwed ordinary Americans on behalf of the TV- NTWKS(Telco Act),Financial Industry(Glass-Steagall revocation),Military industrial complex(Iraq Liberation ACT),the Private Prison Industry mass incarceration particularly of minority folks who used drugs and anyone remember what NAFTA & GATT did to wreck the lives of American Families…..

Nothing like good ole American corruption.

Don’t worry this current Prez ain’t too far behind.Just pay attention once he if out of office what happens.

More corruption (some might say opportunism). Davis Rockefeller has said that a ruling class comprised of “The intellectual elite and world bankers” is his goal and we are just watching that strategy be implemented. Ah, it’s good to be “Elite”. No word yet on the qualifications of this so called intellectually superior.

On a related note, Americans (and many posters here) are fabulous at bitching and claiming the moral high ground. It is obviously more rewarding to spend years celebrating the stupidity of their fellow citizens, who voted without consulting them first, and thus fucked up the entire election, than to actually do something-and no, Internet petitions do not count. Talk is cheap.

On a related note, Americans (and many posters here) are fabulous at bitching and claiming the moral high ground. It is obviously more rewarding to spend years celebrating the stupidity of their fellow citizens, who voted without consulting them first, and thus fucked up the entire election, than to actually do something-and no, Internet petitions do not count. Talk is cheap.

Yes, talk is definitely cheap.

However, you have no idea what many/any of us have done otherwise, and I’m not talking about signing petitions.

So before blasting FDL-bloggers for our purported worthlessness, you might ponder that maybe some of us have done a lot over the years about which you know nothing.

Also: what do YOU suggest people DO instead of posting here, as you, yourself, has done? I’d truly like to know what your suggestions are.

What’s the point of the article? Like tell us something we don’t know? This is the DC game – some public “service” (more like public hand job) and then go out and make the big bucks. Why do you think members of the House and Senate are always in campaign mode? They know it’s a great gig that can lead to riches.

And Baucus chief of staff Ross Sullivan goes to McGuire-Wood to lobby. Check out their stable of lesser-known former elected and staff officials. This is a firm that we need to start tracking. Know of any others?

Yes, talk is cheap. That’s why many of us post. The citizenry is not so much stupid as they are distracted, working longer hours than ever and trying to raise a family with stagnant wages, and don’t have the luxury of perusing what GW Bush called the “interwebs” to be able to read what is going on, and how they are being screwed. Most of them know it instictually anyway.

Thank you.
I was wondering if I was alone, questioning that.
With some of my friends, I’m known for saying,
Call me when you can tell me something I don’t already know.
But, the blogs are a place where folks can spell out their questions, fears, and of course, rants.
That’s pretty much goes on here.
And, Hey, I’m Special.
I’ll leave it at that.
I like your comment.